State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HB0375

 
                                               LRB9202589TAtm

 1        AN ACT to create the Uniform Athlete Agents Act.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  1.   Short  title.  This Act may be cited as the
 5    Uniform Athlete Agents Act.

 6        Section 2.  Definitions.  In this Act:
 7             (1)  "Agency contract" means an agreement in which a
 8        student-athlete authorizes   a  person  to  negotiate  or
 9        solicit    on    behalf    of   the   student-athlete   a
10        professional-sports-services contract or  an  endorsement
11        contract.
12             (2)  "Athlete  agent" means an individual who enters
13        into  an  agency  contract  with  a  student-athlete  or,
14        directly  or   indirectly,   recruits   or   solicits   a
15        student-athlete  to  enter  into an agency contract.  The
16        term includes an individual who represents to the  public
17        that  the  individual  is an athlete agent. The term does
18        not include a spouse, parent, sibling,   grandparent,  or
19        guardian  of  the student-athlete or an individual acting
20        solely  on  behalf  of  a  professional  sports  team  or
21        professional sports organization.
22             (3)  "Athletic   director"   means   an   individual
23        responsible  for  administering  the   overall   athletic
24        program   of   an   educational  institution  or,  if  an
25        educational  institution  has   separately   administered
26        athletic  programs for male students and female students,
27        the athletic program for males or  the  athletic  program
28        for females, as appropriate.
29             (4)  "Contact"  means  a  communication,  direct  or
30        indirect, between an athlete agent and a student-athlete,
31        to  recruit  or solicit the student-athlete to enter into
 
                            -2-                LRB9202589TAtm
 1        an agency contract.
 2             (4.5)  "Department"   means   the   Department    of
 3        Professional Regulation.
 4             (5)  "Endorsement contract" means an agreement under
 5        which   a   student-athlete   is   employed  or  receives
 6        consideration to use on behalf of  the  other  party  any
 7        value  that  the  student-athlete  may  have  because  of
 8        publicity,   reputation,   following,  or  fame  obtained
 9        because of athletic ability or performance.
10             (6)  "Intercollegiate sport" means a sport played at
11        the collegiate level for which  eligibility  requirements
12        for participation by a student-athlete are established by
13        a national association for the promotion or regulation of
14        collegiate athletics.
15             (7)  "Person"   means  an  individual,  corporation,
16        business  trust,  estate,  trust,  partnership,   limited
17        liability    company,    association,    joint   venture,
18        government;   governmental   subdivision,   agency,    or
19        instrumentality;  public  corporation, or any other legal
20        or commercial entity.
21             (8)  "Professional-sports-services  contract"  means
22        an agreement under which an individual  is  employed,  or
23        agrees  to render services, as a player on a professional
24        sports team, with a professional sports organization,  or
25        as a professional athlete.
26             (9)  "Record" means information that is inscribed on
27        a  tangible  medium or that is stored in an electronic or
28        other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.
29             (10)  "Registration"  means   registration   as   an
30        athlete agent pursuant to this Act.
31             (11)  "State"  means  a  State of the United States,
32        the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United  States
33        Virgin  Islands,  or  any territory or insular possession
34        subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
 
                            -3-                LRB9202589TAtm
 1             (12)  "Student-athlete"  means  an  individual   who
 2        engages  in, is eligible to engage in, or may be eligible
 3        in the future to engage in,  any  intercollegiate  sport.
 4        If an individual is permanently ineligible to participate
 5        in  a particular intercollegiate sport, the individual is
 6        not a student-athlete for purposes of that sport.

 7        Section 3.  Service of process; subpoenas.
 8        (a)  By acting as an  athlete  agent  in  this  State,  a
 9    nonresident   individual   appoints  the  Department  as  the
10    individual's agent for service of process in any civil action
11    in this State  related  to  the  individual's  acting  as  an
12    athlete agent in this State.
13        (b)  The  Department may issue subpoenas for any material
14    that is relevant to the administration of this Act.

15        Section 4.  Athlete agents: registration  required;  void
16    contracts.
17        (a)  Except  as  otherwise provided in subsection (b), an
18    individual may not act as an  athlete  agent  in  this  State
19    without holding a certificate of registration under Section 6
20    or 8.
21        (b)  Before  being  issued a certificate of registration,
22    an individual may act as an athlete agent in this  state  for
23    all purposes except signing an agency contract, if:
24             (1)  a  student-athlete  or another person acting on
25        behalf of  the  student-athlete  initiates  communication
26        with the individual; and
27             (2)  within  seven  days  after an initial act as an
28        athlete agent, the individual submits an application  for
29        registration as an athlete agent in this State.
30        (c)  An   agency   contract  resulting  from  conduct  in
31    violation of this section is void and the athlete agent shall
32    return any consideration received under the contract.
 
                            -4-                LRB9202589TAtm
 1        Section  5.   Registration  as   athlete   agent;   form;
 2    requirements.
 3        (a)  An   applicant  for  registration  shall  submit  an
 4    application for registration to  the  Department  in  a  form
 5    prescribed by the Department. An application filed under this
 6    Section  is  a public record.  The application must be in the
 7    name of an individual and, except as  otherwise  provided  in
 8    subsection  (b),  signed  or  otherwise  authenticated by the
 9    applicant under penalty of perjury and state or contain:
10             (1)  the name of the applicant and  the  address  of
11        the applicant's principal place of business;
12             (2)  the   name   of  the  applicant's  business  or
13        employer, if applicable;
14             (3)  any business or occupation engaged  in  by  the
15        applicant  for  the five years next preceding the date of
16        submission of the application;
17             (4)  a description of the applicant's:
18                  (A)  formal training as an athlete agent;
19                  (B)  practical experience as an athlete  agent;
20             and
21                  (C)  educational  background  relating  to  the
22             applicant's activities as an athlete agent;
23             (5)  the  names  and  addresses of three individuals
24        not related to the applicant who are willing to serve  as
25        references;
26             (6)  the  name,  sport, and last known team for each
27        individual for whom the applicant  acted  as  an  athlete
28        agent  during  the  five years next preceding the date of
29        submission of the application;
30             (7)  the names and addresses of all persons who are:
31                  (A)  with  respect  to  the   athlete   agent's
32             business  if  it is not a corporation, the partners,
33             members,   officers,   managers,   associates,    or
34             profit-sharers of the business; and
 
                            -5-                LRB9202589TAtm
 1                  (B)  with  respect  to  a corporation employing
 2             the athlete agent, the officers, directors, and  any
 3             shareholder of the corporation having an interest of
 4             five percent or greater;
 5             (8)  whether  the  applicant  or  any  person  named
 6        pursuant  to  paragraph (7) has been convicted of a crime
 7        that, if committed  in  this  State,  would  be  a  crime
 8        involving  moral  turpitude or a felony, and identify the
 9        crime;
10             (9)  whether there has been  any  administrative  or
11        judicial  determination  that the applicant or any person
12        named  pursuant  to  paragraph  (7)  has  made  a  false,
13        misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent representation;
14             (10)  any instance  in  which  the  conduct  of  the
15        applicant  or  any person named pursuant to paragraph (7)
16        resulted in the imposition of a sanction, suspension,  or
17        declaration   of   ineligibility  to  participate  in  an
18        interscholastic or intercollegiate athletic  event  on  a
19        student-athlete or educational institution;
20             (11)  any   sanction,  suspension,  or  disciplinary
21        action taken against the applicant or  any  person  named
22        pursuant  to paragraph (7) arising out of occupational or
23        professional conduct; and
24             (12)  whether  there  has  been  any  denial  of  an
25        application for, suspension or revocation of, or  refusal
26        to renew, the  registration or licensure of the applicant
27        or  any  person  named  pursuant  to  paragraph (7) as an
28        athlete agent in any State.
29        (b)  An individual who has submitted an application  for,
30    and  holds  a certificate of, registration or licensure as an
31    athlete agent in another State, may  submit  a  copy  of  the
32    application   and   certificate  in  lieu  of  submitting  an
33    application in the form  prescribed  pursuant  to  subsection
34    (a).   The  Department  shall  accept the application and the
 
                            -6-                LRB9202589TAtm
 1    certificate from the   other  State  as  an  application  for
 2    registration  in  this  State if the application to the other
 3    State:
 4             (1)  was submitted in the  other  State  within  six
 5        months  next  preceding the submission of the application
 6        in this  State  and  the  applicant  certifies  that  the
 7        information contained in the application is current;
 8             (2)  contains  information  substantially similar to
 9        or  more  comprehensive    than  that  required   in   an
10        application submitted in this State; and
11             (3)  was  signed  by  the applicant under penalty of
12        perjury.

13        Section  6.  Certificate  of  registration;  issuance  or
14    denial; renewal.
15        (a)  Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b),  the
16    Department  shall  issue  a certificate of registration to an
17    individual  who  complies  with   Section   5(a)   or   whose
18    application has been accepted under Section 5(b).
19        (b)  The  Department may refuse to issue a certificate of
20    registration if the Department determines that the  applicant
21    has  engaged in conduct that has a significant adverse effect
22    on the applicant's fitness to act as an  athlete  agent.   In
23    making the determination, the Department may consider whether
24    the applicant has:
25             (1)  been convicted of a crime that, if committed in
26        this State, would be a crime involving moral turpitude or
27        a felony;
28             (2)  made a materially false, misleading, deceptive,
29        or  fraudulent representation in the application or as an
30        athlete agent;
31             (3)  engaged in conduct that  would  disqualify  the
32        applicant from serving in a fiduciary capacity;
33             (4)  engaged in conduct prohibited by Section 14;
 
                            -7-                LRB9202589TAtm
 1             (5)  had  a  registration or licensure as an athlete
 2        agent suspended,  revoked,  or  denied  or  been  refused
 3        renewal  of registration or licensure as an athlete agent
 4        in any State;
 5             (6)  engaged in conduct the consequence of which was
 6        that  a   sanction,   suspension,   or   declaration   of
 7        ineligibility  to  participate  in  an interscholastic or
 8        intercollegiate  athletic  event   was   imposed   on   a
 9        student-athlete or educational institution; or
10             (7)  engaged in conduct that significantly adversely
11        reflects  on  the  applicant's  credibility,  honesty, or
12        integrity.
13        (c)  In making a determination under subsection (b),  the
14    Department shall consider:
15             (1)  how recently the conduct occurred;
16             (2)  the  nature  of  the conduct and the context in
17        which it occurred; and
18             (3)  any other relevant conduct of the applicant.
19        (d)  An athlete agent may apply to renew  a  registration
20    by submitting an application for renewal in a form prescribed
21    by the Department. An application filed under this section is
22    a  public record.  The application for renewal must be signed
23    by the applicant under penalty of perjury  and  must  contain
24    current  information  on  all matters required in an original
25    registration.
26        (e)  An individual who has submitted an  application  for
27    renewal  of  registration  or  licensure in another State, in
28    lieu of submitting an application for  renewal  in  the  form
29    prescribed pursuant to subsection (d), may file a copy of the
30    application   for   renewal   and   a  valid  certificate  of
31    registration  or  licensure  from  the  other   State.    The
32    Department  shall accept the application for renewal from the
33    other State as an application for renewal in  this  State  if
34    the application to the other State:
 
                            -8-                LRB9202589TAtm
 1             (1)  was  submitted  in  the  other State within six
 2        months next preceding the filing in this  State  and  the
 3        applicant  certifies  the  information  contained  in the
 4        application for renewal is current;
 5             (2)  contains information substantially  similar  to
 6        or   more   comprehensive   than   that  required  in  an
 7        application for renewal submitted in this State; and
 8             (3)  was signed by the applicant  under  penalty  of
 9        perjury.
10        (f)  A  certificate  of  registration  or  a renewal of a
11    registration is valid for two years.

12        Section 7.  Suspension, revocation, or refusal  to  renew
13    registration.
14        (a)  The  Department  may  suspend,  revoke, or refuse to
15    renew a registration for conduct that  would  have  justified
16    denial of  registration under Section 6(b).
17        (b)  The  Department may deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse
18    to renew a certificate  of  registration  or  licensure  only
19    after  proper  notice  and  an opportunity for a hearing. The
20    Illinois Administrative Procedure Act applies to this Act.

21        Section 8.  Temporary registration.  The  Department  may
22    issue  a  temporary  certificate  of  registration  while  an
23    application  for  registration  or renewal of registration is
24    pending.

25        Section 9.  Registration and renewal fees. An application
26    for  registration  or  renewal  of   registration   must   be
27    accompanied by a fee in the following amount:
28             (1)  $75    for    an    initial   application   for
29        registration;
30             (2)  $75 for an application for  registration  based
31        upon a certificate of registration or licensure issued by
 
                            -9-                LRB9202589TAtm
 1        another State;
 2             (3)  $50   for   an   application   for  renewal  of
 3        registration; or
 4             (4)  $50  for  an   application   for   renewal   of
 5        registration  based  upon  an  application for renewal of
 6        registration or licensure submitted in another State.

 7        Section 10.  Required form of contract.
 8        (a)  An agency contract must be in a  record,  signed  or
 9    otherwise authenticated by the parties.
10        (b)  An agency contract must state or contain:
11             (1)  the   amount  and  method  of  calculating  the
12        consideration to  be  paid  by  the  student-athlete  for
13        services  to  be  provided by the athlete agent under the
14        contract and any other consideration  the  athlete  agent
15        has  received  or  will receive from any other source for
16        entering into the contract or for providing the services;
17             (2)  the name  of  any  person  not  listed  in  the
18        application  for  registration or renewal of registration
19        who  will  be  compensated  because  the  student-athlete
20        signed the agency contract;
21             (3)  a  description  of  any   expenses   that   the
22        student-athlete agrees to reimburse;
23             (4)  a description of the services to be provided to
24        the student-athlete;
25             (5)  the duration of the contract; and
26             (6)  the date of execution.
27        (c)  An  agency contract must contain, in close proximity
28    to the signature of the student-athlete, a conspicuous notice
29    in boldface type in capital letters stating:
30                     WARNING TO STUDENT-ATHLETE
31                     IF YOU SIGN THIS CONTRACT:
32             (1)  YOU MAY LOSE YOUR ELIGIBILITY TO COMPETE  AS  A
33        STUDENT-ATHLETE IN YOUR SPORT;
 
                            -10-               LRB9202589TAtm
 1             (2)  IF  YOU  HAVE  AN  ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, WITHIN 72
 2        HOURS AFTER ENTERING INTO THIS  CONTRACT,  BOTH  YOU  AND
 3        YOUR  ATHLETE  AGENT  MUST NOTIFY YOUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR;
 4        AND
 5             (3)  YOU MAY CANCEL THIS  CONTRACT  WITHIN  14  DAYS
 6        AFTER  SIGNING IT.  CANCELLATION OF THIS CONTRACT MAY NOT
 7        REINSTATE YOUR ELIGIBILITY.
 8        (d)  An agency contract that does  not  conform  to  this
 9    section   is   voidable   by   the   student-athlete.   If  a
10    student-athlete voids an agency contract, the student-athlete
11    is not required to pay any consideration under  the  contract
12    or  to  return  any  consideration  received from the athlete
13    agent  to  induce  the  student-athlete  to  enter  into  the
14    contract.
15        (e)  The athlete agent shall give a record of the  signed
16    or   otherwise   authenticated   agency   contract   to   the
17    student-athlete at the time of execution.

18        Section 11.  Notice to educational institution.
19        (a)  Within  72  hours  after  entering  into  an  agency
20    contract or before the next scheduled athletic event in which
21    the  student-athlete may participate, whichever occurs first,
22    the athlete agent shall  give  notice  in  a  record  of  the
23    existence  of  the  contract  to the athletic director of the
24    educational  institution  at  which  the  student-athlete  is
25    enrolled or the  athlete  agent  has  reasonable  grounds  to
26    believe the student-athlete intends to enroll.
27        (b)  Within  72  hours  after  entering  into  an  agency
28    contract  or  before  the  next  athletic  event in which the
29    student-athlete may participate, whichever occurs first,  the
30    student-athlete  shall  inform  the  athletic director of the
31    educational  institution  at  which  the  student-athlete  is
32    enrolled that he or she has entered into an agency contract.
 
                            -11-               LRB9202589TAtm
 1        Section 12.  Student-athlete's right to cancel.
 2        (a)  A student-athlete may cancel an agency  contract  by
 3    giving  notice  of the cancellation to the athlete agent in a
 4    record within 14 days after the contract is signed.
 5        (b)  A student-athlete may not waive the right to  cancel
 6    an agency contract.
 7        (c)  If a student-athlete cancels an agency contract, the
 8    student-athlete  is  not  required  to  pay any consideration
 9    under the contract or to return  any  consideration  received
10    from the athlete agent to induce the student-athlete to enter
11    into the contract.

12        Section 13. Required records.
13        (a)  An  athlete agent shall retain the following records
14    for a period of five years:
15             (1)  the  name  and  address  of   each   individual
16        represented by the athlete agent;
17             (2)  any agency contract entered into by the athlete
18        agent; and
19             (3)  any  direct costs incurred by the athlete agent
20        in the recruitment or solicitation of  a  student-athlete
21        to enter into an agency contract.
22        (b)  Records  required  by  subsection (a) to be retained
23    are open  to  inspection  by  the  Department  during  normal
24    business hours.

25        Section 14. Prohibited conduct.
26        (a)  An  athlete  agent,  with  the  intent  to  induce a
27    student-athlete to enter into an agency contract, may not:
28             (1)  give  any  materially   false   or   misleading
29        information   or  make  a  materially  false  promise  or
30        representation;
31             (2)  furnish anything of value to a  student-athlete
32        before   the   student-athlete  enters  into  the  agency
 
                            -12-               LRB9202589TAtm
 1        contract; or
 2             (3)  furnish anything of  value  to  any  individual
 3        other  than  the  student-athlete  or  another registered
 4        athlete agent.
 5        (b)  An athlete agent may not intentionally:
 6             (1)  initiate contact with a student-athlete  unless
 7        registered under this Act;
 8             (2)  refuse  or  fail to retain or permit inspection
 9        of the records required to be retained by Section 13;
10             (3)  fail to register when required by Section 4;
11             (4)  provide   materially   false   or    misleading
12        information in an application for registration or renewal
13        of registration;
14             (5)  predate or postdate an agency contract; or
15             (6)  fail  to  notify  a  student-athlete before the
16        student-athlete  signs  or  otherwise  authenticates   an
17        agency  contract  for a particular sport that the signing
18        or authentication may make the student-athlete ineligible
19        to participate as a student-athlete in that sport.

20        Section 15.  Criminal penalties.  An  athlete  agent  who
21    violates Section 14 is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

22        Section 16.  Civil remedies.
23        (a)  An  educational  institution  has  a right of action
24    against an athlete agent  or  a  former  student-athlete  for
25    damages  caused  by  a  violation  of this Act.  In an action
26    under this section, the court may  award  to  the  prevailing
27    party costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
28        (b)  Damages   of   an   educational   institution  under
29    subsection (a) include losses and expenses incurred  because,
30    as  a  result  of  the  conduct of an athlete agent or former
31    student-athlete, the educational institution was injured by a
32    violation of this Act  or  was  penalized,  disqualified,  or
 
                            -13-               LRB9202589TAtm
 1    suspended  from  participation  in  athletics  by  a national
 2    association for the promotion and regulation of athletics, by
 3    an  athletic  conference,  or  by   reasonable   self-imposed
 4    disciplinary  action taken to mitigate sanctions likely to be
 5    imposed by such an organization.
 6        (c)  A right of action under this section does not accrue
 7    until  the  educational  institution  discovers  or  by   the
 8    exercise  of  reasonable  diligence would have discovered the
 9    violation by the athlete agent or former student-athlete.
10        (d)  Any liability of the athlete  agent  or  the  former
11    student-athlete under this section is several and not joint.
12        (e)  This  Act  does  not  restrict  rights, remedies, or
13    defenses of any person under law or equity.

14        Section 17.  Administrative penalty.  The Department  may
15    assess a civil penalty against an athlete agent not to exceed
16    $5,000 for a violation of this Act.

17        Section  18.  Uniformity of application and construction.
18    In applying and construing this  Uniform  Act,  consideration
19    must  be  given  to the need to promote uniformity of the law
20    with respect to its subject matter among  States  that  enact
21    it.

22        Section 19.  Electronic Signatures in Global and National
23    Commerce Act.  The provisions of this Act governing the legal
24    effect,  validity, or enforceability of electronic records or
25    signatures, and of contracts formed or performed with the use
26    of such records or signatures conform to the requirements  of
27    Section  102  of  the  Electronic  Signatures  in  Global and
28    National Commerce Act, Pub. L. No.  106-229,  114  Stat.  464
29    (2000),  and  supersede,  modify,  and  limit  the Electronic
30    Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act.
 
                            -14-               LRB9202589TAtm
 1        Section 20.  Severability.  If any provision of this  Act
 2    or  its  application  to  any  person or circumstance is held
 3    invalid, the invalidity does not affect other  provisions  or
 4    applications  of  this  Act which can be given effect without
 5    the invalid provision or application, and  to  this  end  the
 6    provisions of this Act are severable.

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